Very interesting video, thanks for posting.

Interesting thread too.

My dad was a CT (cryptologic technician) in the Navy. We spent a couple of tours in Misawa, Japan where, I assume, he spent his time listening to the Russians and probably Chinese from a small building inside (underneath):

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/70/54...749025d98c.jpg

The second time that we were in Misawa (early/mid 80s), he spent some time (4-8 weeks) on fast attack nuclear subs, but the rest (most) of his time, back in the "elephant/dinosaur cage." I think his first sub was the Tautog.

So the bits about subs has been super interesting too.

Misawa is primarily an Air Force base, but has a Naval Security Group as well. As a kid, I used to watch the jets perform touch-n-go's. And we had P-3s constantly coming and going.

That picture is so neat...do you know where the "elephant/dinosaur cage" was located?

I did a map search (I am a map geek) and the installation has apparently been taken down.

I have never been to that part of Japan.

BTW, your Dad being a CT is a little bit surprising given your lack of intellectual rigor:D

Please, if he is still with us, give him my best and thank him for all the really important stuff he did. CT's are amazing people.

One more quick Sea Story:

I SAW a USN Sub at about 50 feet below the surface, in a 20 degree left bank, underway about 15kts or so: Indian Ocean, water as clear as good Vodka, he was augmenting sound for the PASSEX so, Billy, I wasn't a hero.

There they were.

Yes, the murmurings on the Internet seem to indicate that most of those installations were part of ECHELON, and as far as I can tell, the visible antennas (the cages) are all gone/dismantled. At least what I see in the locations that I'm aware of have been dismantled and in some cases have been replaced with what I assume are mostly satellite antennas.
"Security Hill," Misawa Air Base, Japan
https://goo.gl/maps/nK5b9HCrUvGpuiHm9

The first place that he was stationed (unaccompanied), Adak, Alaska
https://goo.gl/maps/XWDf9M1F2wc9Xo6c9

The last place that he was stationed, Rota, Spain (just east of the cemetery) in the link.
https://goo.gl/maps/MhMEBfNx1Ni9pq8J8

I always heard that he was limited in the places that he could go for what he did. I think Guam, Edzell, Diego Garcia, and a few other places that I don't remember.

When you think of all the infrastructure built to keep tabs on the Soviets it is astounding.
Here in southern Nova Scotia we has a SOSUS station. Two of my brothers were stationed at Alert, another was a radar tech on the Pine Tree line. Most of that is gone now. Obsolete and decommissioned.

Best
Les

Is their navy good again? They lost (damaged) their only carrier couple years ago when it sunk on the top of (Swedish built) barge. Apparently, they did not pay electricity bill so pumps were cut off. "Carrier" is funny...it burns bunker oil and loos do not work.

While in 9th grade on Guam, our Industrial Arts (shop) class went on a filed trip to the USS Proteus which was stationed at Apra Harbor at that time. They had a really cool machine shop with monster lathes and milling machines as well as about anything else you would need to maintain a Polaris launching submarine. The USS Patric Henry was tied up along side but they did not let us on that one. We each received a booklet explaining everything. I still have it and copied the cover and first page here.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1633123572.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1633123572.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1633123572.jpg

Very cool! I hope you're busy scanning the rest!

Interesting. Almost as many lives as a cat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Proteus_(AS-19)

Well, okay, here is the rest.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1633127498.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1633127498.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1633127498.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1633127498.jpg

thanks tons!

Concur!

Thanks everyone... There's some really great info in this thread.

That Elephant/Dinosaur cage looks incredible. :eek:

We were tied up alongside the Proteus in the Phillipines and Hong Kong. She was a rust bucket then and a complete eyesore but she was old and still getting the job done. I wish I looked around a little more. Its been a long time.